The Finnish construction industry recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.34% during the review period (2009−2013). The industry will be primarily supported by the commercial and infrastructure markets, due to government efforts to support the country’s growth and competitiveness. According to Invest in Finland, the government agency that promotes foreign investment in the country, foreign direct investment (FDI) rose from 153 new investments in 2012 to 213 in 2013. However, slow economic growth and limited government spending will affect investments in the institutional market. Consequently, the construction industry’s output is expected to record a CAGR of 1.50% over the forecast period (2014−2018), driven by increased FDI and government’s focus on strengthening the country’s urban infrastructure.

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Key Highlights

Due to slow economic growth, the construction industry declined in 2013. According to Statistics Finland, construction companies’ turnover declined by 1.9% as compared to 2012, and the value add in the construction industry fell by 2.3% in 2013. In the last quarter of 2013, the turnover of the construction industry declined by 1.5% as compared to the same period of 2012. In the last quarter of 2013, the turnover of specialized construction activities dropped by 2.2%, and building construction decreased by 1.4% over the corresponding period of 2012. However, as a sign of future growth, in the last quarter of 2013 the area covered under building permits reached 8.9 million m2, 13.3% more than in the last quarter of 2012.

In 2012, the government proposed to increase the standard VAT rate by 1 percentage point. However, according to shopping tourism company Global Blue, tax-free sales in 2013 increased by 27% in Kouvola and 25% in Imatra, as compared to 2012. The growth in tax-free sales in Finland was primarily contributed by the rising number of Russian visitors, and is likely to attract investments in the retail buildings category over the forecast period.

According to Statistics Finland, net migration in the country increased from 17,433 in 2012 to 18,048 in 2013. Internal migration from rural urban areas will continue to rise, which will increase demand for residential units at growth centers such as Helsinki. According to the YIT Group, Finland’s largest residential construction company, the country will need annual production of 24,000–29,000 apartments over the forecast period. However, restrictions in the availability of land for building apartments, and tough energy-efficiency requirements may constrain the housing supply, leading to the construction of smaller, more efficient apartments. With rising migration and changing housing needs, demand for residential units is likely to pick up over the forecast period.

Finland aims to establish a carbon-neutral society by 2050, and better energy efficiency and increased investment in renewable energy will be needed to achieve this. According to the EU Renewable Energy Directive, the country aims to meet 38% of its total energy consumption through renewable sources by 2020. In its 2013 budget, the government increased energy subsidies to EUR145 million (US$192.2 million), of which EUR100 million (US$132.6 million) is to be allocated to bio-refinery projects, with the remaining amount allocated for renewable energy investments. As a result, the energy infrastructure category is expected to grow over the forecast period.

According to Statistics Finland, the Finland’s economy contracted by 1.4% in 2013. To support growth and competitiveness in the economy, in 2013 the government cut the corporate tax rate by 4.5 percentage points, from 24.5% to 20%, effective January 2014. This move should help to attract investment and create jobs in the country. The Bank of Finland predicts 0.6% GDP growth in 2014 and 1.7% in 2015. This is likely to improve business activities, enabling the office buildings category to grow over the forecast period.

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